Givin' Permission to Pause

Hidden amongst 100 acres on the edge of Wombat State Forest sits a beautifully restored stone cottage that has been quietly watching the seasons change since the 1870s. The moment we opened the timber door, we knew we'd hit the absolute Jac pot! Fresh native blooms filled the vases, the scent of old timber mingled with burning firewood and a thoughtful welcome from our host awaited us. A bottle of local wine, fresh sourdough and creamy cheese, each carefully chosen to support nearby producers. It felt less like checking into accommodation and more like being warmly welcomed into someone's home.

The cottage unfolds across two separate buildings. One holds the heart of the home with a country kitchen, rustic dining room and an impressive open fireplace that crackled from morning until night. But being the sunshine chasers we are, our favourite space was the beautiful sunroom, complete with a piano and views across the surrounding paddocks. Across in the sleeping quarters, two country style bedrooms waited beneath thick quilts and electric blankets, making every night feel wonderfully cocooned from the winter air.

Standing there, I couldn't help but pause and appreciate what an incredible opportunity this really is. This is my job. I get to discover beautiful places like this and share them with the people I love, which is easily my favourite part of it all. My dear friend Lucy spends her days caring for everyone around her, and opportunities to simply slow down are few and far between. I wanted this weekend to remind her what it feels like to be looked after for a change.

Our first evening arrived with gentle rain tapping against the tin roof while flames danced inside the open fireplace. We baked a wheel of brie until it oozed onto warm sourdough, poured generous glasses of red and laughed our faces off long after the fire had settled into glowing embers. It was absolute bliss. Just like my friend.

The next morning arrived without alarms. Wrapped in oversized knits, we carried steaming cups of tea into our favourite room of the cottage, where sunlight stretched across woven rugs and rolling paddocks became the only view worth looking at. Later we wandered through The Swiss Farm, sharing lunch, sniffing every essential oil in the gift shop and watching the resident geese happily waddle around the pond, living their very best geese lives. It was one of those crisp winter days that makes you want to stay outside just a little longer.

Back at the cottage, dusk called us outside once again. The outdoor fire crackled beneath an open sky as we sipped red wine and watched the last warmth of the sun disappear behind the hills. Inside, the evening unfolded slowly with colouring books, soft music, crackling firewood and endless cups of tea. The following morning I found Lucy exactly as I'd hoped. Curled beneath warm blankets with a book in one hand and tea in the other. She looked lighter, and that made my heart sing.

Our host Jessica welcomed us for a gentle yoga class, joined by her curious cat who wandered quietly between us as though she understood exactly why we were there. Afterwards we melted into blissful massages before returning to our sunny corner with a simple platter and absolutely nowhere else to be.

We took our sweet time leaving this divine cottage. Some places fill your itinerary, while others quietly refill you. This stone cottage did exactly that. It restored us, refilled our cups and gave us exactly the kind of love and stillness we both needed before heading back into the big, beautiful world.